A Man After God's Own Heart

Since the beginning of this year, I have really been enjoying reading through the bible in chronological order for the first time. One of the best things so far has been a series of Psalms written by David that have followed the accounts of David's life and reign in 1 Chronicles and 1 Kings. Many of these Psalms are already grouped together, but in the traditional bible format, I wouldn't read them directly after reading the account of his life. They were so much more meaningful to me this time around having just finished what can only be described as one of the most compelling biographies in all the bible. With Father's Day right around the corner, many times I would catch myself highlighting various passages of David's Psalms while thinking about the role of Godly men in general. I, clearly, am not a man, but I can glean a lot of things from David that I think would be of utmost importance to a man throughout his life. I can read the account of David's life and plainly see his desire (even through some pretty major setbacks) to be a man of noble character. I can read in his own written words his desperation for God's love, protection and forgiveness and I can read his words of unfailing praise and worship in all manner of circumstances. He was not perfect by any means, but he was perfectly redeemed by the grace of God and he lived out his life with unwavering faithfulness and reverence. He lived as a man after God's own heart. So, for the men readers of this post, I thought I would share some of the highlights from these Psalms and let David speak for himself to encourage all of you who strive to live your lives in the same manner.

Before that though, a note to all my lady readers. Culture is doing it's level best right now to tell our men that they are not important. It is trying to emasculate them at every turn and undermine their immensely important role in not only our lives, but the lives of their children. Culture would have us believe that as a woman, if you find yourself relying on a man for basically anything, you are weak and should feel ashamed. Culture says a woman should unabashedly be able to do anything a man can do, effectively rendering his role unnecessary. DO. NOT. ALLOW. THIS. IN. YOUR. HOME. Fight for your man and let him fight for you! Do not devalue his role as God's chosen leader of your family. Your skills can not replace his skills and you can not do everything he can do (and vice versa). Please remember that God created each gender, male and female, to work in compliment with one another, not in competition. Do you have a daughter? Does she "hear" you tell daddy that he doesn't do anything right (even if you don't actually say the words) because you are constantly going behind him re-doing/un-doing everything he's just done? Please stop. Her little eyes are soaking that up like a sponge and she is already internalizing the fact that men are a burden and women do everything better. This is simply not true. Sure, we do things differently, but that is by design and it is not to be thrown back in the face of either spouse. Do you have a son? Do you want him to learn how to look for a woman who will value everything he brings to the table and appreciate his abilities fully? Then model it for him with your own husband. Build your husband up with your words to your children. Make him great in those little eyes that see him walk through the door in the evening. No, you don't have to be in a nice dress, hair curled with red lipstick on. I am not even pretending to tell you that garbage (sorry, honey). But, for all the perfectionists out there, I am telling you to stop trying to make him a male version of you. What good does that do? You need a compliment, not a clone. Now, I fully understand that sometimes men could stand to be a bit more emotionally available in certain areas and if that is the case in your marriage, engage him in frequent, productive conversation about it. Healthy communication is consistently at the top of all the many “tips for a great marriage” articles out there. It’s hard sometimes, yes. But it’s not impossible. More often than not, men are absolutely willing to help their wives in whatever way they need. Sometimes they just need to be engaged in a constructive conversation about it. Above all though, learn to love the male-ness about him and he will respond in kind.

Okay, back to King David. We can all learn invaluable lessons from David through his many Psalms, but again it's almost Father's Day so I am writing with men in mind. Below are some key verses from several of David's Psalms grouped together by theme. This is really just a small sampling with so many other great lessons to be learned by reading each of these Psalms in full. I hope that this will be an encouragement to you men who find yourselves in any of these situations currently. If David could continue to pursue God with such tenacity even after his major life blunders, war, depression, famine, oppression by his enemies, etc., then you can certainly take a page from his book and imitate his reverence and esteem for the Lord in all areas of your life too. The women in your life will be all the better for it!

Do not try to hide away your sin. It doesn't work. God will not be made a fool of. Learn from David’s words here. He was an absolute wreck over some life choices and it only made it worse when he tried to remain silent about it before God. Acknowledge your mistakes and allow God’s full redemptive power to restore you!

From Psalm 32:

"When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night your hand was heavy on me; my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer. Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, "I will confess my transgressions to the Lord." And you forgave the guilt of my sin. Therefore let all the faithful pray to you while you may be found.”

From Psalm 51:

“For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me. Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight; so you are right in your verdict and justified when you judge.”

“Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.”

Take shelter in God alone. Ask (and allow) God to protect you because even the toughest warriors like David needed saving at times.

From Psalm 4:

"In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, Lord, make me dwell in safety."

From Psalm 5:

"But let all who take refuge in you be glad; let them ever sing for joy. Spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may rejoice in you. Surely, Lord, you bless the righteous; you surround them with your favor as with a shield."

From Psalm 12:

"You, Lord, will keep the needy safe and will protect us forever from the wicked, who freely strut about when what is vile is honored by the human race."

Do not fall prey to the evil you see around you daily. This is especially hard in an office setting where you spend a great deal of time with people of all beliefs and backgrounds. It can be hard to feel like you are out on an island all by yourself, but take comfort that David felt the same way at times in his life. Seek God's counsel first in handling all situations with co-workers.

From Psalm 6:

"Away from me, all you who do evil, for the Lord has heard my weeping. The Lord has heard my cry for mercy; the Lord accepts my prayer. All my enemies will be overwhelmed with shame and anguish; they will turn back and suddenly be put to shame."

From Psalm 17:

"By your hand save me from such people, Lord, from those of this world whose reward is in this life."

From Psalm 36:

"I have a message from God in my heart concerning the sinfulness of the wicked: There is no fear of God before their eyes. In their own eyes they flatter themselves too much to detect or hate their sin. The words of their mouths are wicked and deceitful; they fail to act wisely or do good."

"Continue your love to those who know you, your righteousness to the upright in heart. May the foot of the proud not come against me, nor the hand of the wicked drive me away."

From Psalm 55:

"My companion attacks his friends; he violates his covenant. His talk is smooth as butter, yet war is in his heart; his words are more soothing than oil, yet they draw swords. Cast your cares on the Lord and He will sustain you; He will never let the righteous be shaken."

Had a rough day? Had a fantastic day? Praise the Lord in ALL circumstances.

From Psalm 8:

"Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!"

"...what is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them?”

From Psalm 9:

“I will give thanks to you, Lord, with all my heart; I will tell of all your wonderful deeds. I will be glad and rejoice in you; I will sing the praises of your name, Oh Most High.”

From Psalm 145:

"Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; His greatness no one can fathom."

"The Lord is near to all who call on Him, to all who call on Him in truth."

Do not lose your integrity in order to impress someone or get ahead. Do not let someone else's bad choice become your own. Remember, David was able to write these words even after an affair and subsequent cover-up attempt. The Lord is faithful to forgive even if you have already gone down a road you know you shouldn’t have. He’s waiting to hear from you about it and he WILL restore you every time.

From Psalm 25:

"May integrity and uprightness protect me, because my hope, Lord, is in you."

From Psalm 41:

"Because of my integrity you uphold me and set me in your presence forever."

From Psalm 101:

"I will conduct the affairs of my house with a blameless heart. I will not look with approval on anything that is vile."

Trust that God has a plan for you even when you have to wait for the answers. He can handle our short-term frustrations and if we can learn anything from David here, it’s that you may as well be honest with God about your feelings. He knows them all anyway. But, like David, we also must remain faithful to Him above all.

From Psalm 13:

"How long, Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and day after day have sorrow in my heart? How long will my enemy triumph over me?"

"But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation. I will sing the Lord's praise, for He has been good to me."

From Psalm 28:

"To you, Lord, I call; you are my Rock, do not turn a deaf ear to me. For if you remain silent, I will be like those who go down to the pit. Hear my cry for mercy as I call to you for help, as I lift up my hands toward your Most Holy Place.”

From Psalm 31:

"Since you are my rock and my fortress, for the sake of your name lead and guide me."

"But I trust in you, Lord; I say, "You are my God." My times are in your hands; deliver me from the hands of my enemies, from those who pursue me."

"How abundant are the good things that you have stored up for those who fear you, that you bestow in the sight of all, on those who take refuge in you."

It's okay to admit you are afraid sometimes. Life can throw some nasty stuff at you and I think many times men don’t take the proper time to acknowledge it. Don’t stuff it, take it to the Lord always and let Him be the Savior that He wants to be.

From Psalm 16:

"I keep my eyes always on the Lord. With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken."

From Psalm 22:

"My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"

"I will declare your name to my people; in the assembly I will praise you."

"For He has not despised or scorned the suffering of the afflicted one; he has not hidden His face from him, but has listened to his cry for help."

From Psalm 23:

"Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me."

From Psalm 27:

"The Lord is my light and my salvation- whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life- of whom shall I be afraid?"

"Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord."

Do not allow material wealth to be the guiding principle of your life. If you have it, great! Be generous, walk humbly and thank God in all circumstances. If you don't have it, fine! Be generous, walk humbly and thank God in all circumstances.

From Psalm 37:

"Better the little that the righteous have than the wealth of many wicked."

From Psalm 62:

"Surely the lowborn are but a breath, the highborn are but a lie. If weighed on a balance, they are nothing; together they are only a breath."

"...though your riches increase, do not set your heart on them."

"You reward everyone according to what they have done."

When God helps you out of a situation for the first time or the tenth, remember who is was that delivered you and praise Him for it. Remember, we’re human and we screw things up sometimes, just like David did. But take heart in his words below! The Lord is ready and willing to lift you up and set you back on the right path. 

From Psalm 20: 

"Now this I know: The Lord gives victory to his anointed. He answers him from His heavenly sanctuary with the victorious power of His right hand. Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God."

From Psalm 30:

"Sing the praises of the Lord, you His faithful people; praise His holy name. For His anger lasts only a moment, but His favor lasts a lifetime; weeping may stay for the night, but rejoicing comes in the morning."

From Psalm 40:

"I waited patiently for the Lord; He turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; He set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear the Lord and put their trust in Him."

From Psalm 103:

"...He does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is His love for those who fear Him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us."

Remember that you can not hide from God. He sees it all. Take comfort in this, not shame. We ALL need Him to be our internal compass. He doesn’t seek perfection, just genuine hearts willing to try their best to seek him daily.

From Psalm 11:

"The Lord is in His holy temple; the Lord is on His heavenly throne. He observes everyone on earth; His eyes examine them."

From Psalm 19:

"But who can discern their own errors? Forgive my hidden faults. Keep your servant also from willful sins; may they not rule over me. Then I will be blameless, innocent of great transgressions."

From Psalm 26:

"Test me, Lord, and try me, examine my heart and my mind,"

From Psalm 139:

"You have searched me, Lord, and you know me. You know when I sit down and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue you, Lord, know it completely."